Yesterday, when the terrorist attacks in France were taking place, my
daughter, Anna, was in Paris packing to return home the next day from a month
abroad.  Anna was part of a literary team
who were teaching others how to tell stories. Anna’s trip took her to Morocco,
Portugal and finally to Paris. Paris was to be a time of rest and refreshment. Anna was staying
with friends in an apartment across the Seine River from where the acts of terrorism
took place.

I had not heard of the attacks until a short email from Anna came unexpectedly
letting us know she was safe.  I
immediately went to the news to see what was happening. Jan had to leave for a
women’s retreat. For the rest of evening, I sat alone and watched Sky News
broadcast from Europe as the horrible events continued to unfold. As a father,
I wanted to reach out and take hold of the situation to ensure my daughter’s
safety, but in these kinds of situations there are no handholds.  It is like most of life – the only thing you
can really take hold of in situations like this is faith.

Jan and I went to bed late at night offering up prayers for Anna, her
friends and for the nation of France.  It
was hard to get to sleep. In the middle of the night my cell phone lit up our
bedroom with the words, “Boarded!!!”, which meant Anna was able to make it to
the airport and was on her flight home. 
In the darkness of our bedroom, Jan and I offered prayers of
thanksgiving that we would see our daughter the next day. Many in Paris were
not so fortunate.

This morning as the various news outlets processed the terror attacks in
Paris, I heard the Spirit whisper, “Tell them their call is coming.”
Immediately I had a sense of what the Lord was saying to me.  Some of you are in the middle of very
terrifying life-situations.  You do not
know the outcome.  You are trying to rest
and it has been a challenge. God is about to send a message in the dark night
of your painful experience.  Your message
will resemble the joyous text we received from Anna letting us know she was heading
home.  God wants you to know what you have
been praying for in your desperate situation is in route and will arrive
shortly safe and sound.

Until the text came from Anna, my sleep was fitful. Once I knew she was
safe, I fell into a deep sleep that only comes when we know God is taking care
of what we love. This kind of rest is what God wants you to experience
today.  There is nothing more you can do
now but rest in His presence and trust Him with the outcome.  Let go of fear and worry and allow God to
care for the people you love and resolve the situations that time and distance
has removed from your ability to control.